Circuit maker and breaker.



C. RASMUSSEN.

I CIRCUIT MAKER AND BREAKER..

APPLICATION FILED res. a. 1918.

-1,2?6,110, v Patented Aug 20, 1918..

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1 JF 'S USEEM nGHZRISTIAN Rasmussen, o

.. t ze at Clevelan lithe county of .cuyahoga and "StateofiOlno, haveinvented certain 1 v. new and useful Improvements in Circuit Makers andBi-eal ers,-of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to circuit makers and'breakers, the object beingto provide a simple and effective contact finger for a rota rycontroller of. the type used in street cars, flash signs, etc. Theinvention is the outgrowth of a need found to exist under prevailingpractices in street railroad operations. Troubl is experienced with thecontact fingers-in daily use. The present device is to reduce andeliminate such troubles as much as possible and to simplify adjustments,replacements, and repairs so that even unskilled men may do such workquickly and accurately.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the invention.and Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the device mounted in working positionopposite a portion of a rotary controller member. Fig. 3 is an end Viewof the contact head in fiat engagement with a controller segment. Fig. 4is a cross section on line M, Fig. 2.

The invention comprises a bracket 2 which may be fastened securely to aflat bar or seat 3 by'a screw 1 and which bar usually stands uprightopposite the rotary drum or a set of controller segments 5 secured atdifferent elevations on a rotatable shaft 6. A make and break contact isestablished with each segment 5 by a finger 7 pivotally vmount-ed uponbracket 2, the pressure of contact and an oscillatory movement of thefinger being under the control of acoiled spring 8 which encircles aspacing and holding bushing 9 sleeved upon the pivot bolt 10 carried bybracket 2. A relatively wide and large rotary bearing is provided forthe fin ger by making the base end of the finger in the shape of a roundcap 11 and sleeving this cap over a circular flange 12 integral with andextending from the side of the ear 13 of bracket 2, and these sleevedparts inclose the bushing and spring completely, and the coiled springhas its opposite extremities bent and entered through suitable openingsJ in'the Opposite Walls of the ear and cap to Specification ofLettersPatent. Patented o'*the United States, residing bracket, and thespring nut and bolt 10.

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hold the finger under the desired springtension. As arranged, it is asimple matter to assemble and disassemble the finger from the isconcealed and protected when the parts are united by the The bracket isalso provided with a short right-angled lip let at its outer end toengage the edge of bar 3 and a binding or terminal screw 15 isaflixed tothis lip wherewith to make an electrical connection.

Finger 7 is also provided with around boss or enlargement 16 at itsjunction with its base or cap 11, and a set screw 16 extends throughthis enlargement at right angles to the axis of pivot bolt 10 andengages the outer face of bar 3, thus forming an adjustable stop for.the finger and providinga means to set the contact end of the finger atdifferentworking distances from the segments 5, or the finger may becarried back out of contact entirely by adjustment of the set screw. j

The contact end of the finger is a separate element of good electricalconductivity, and preferably made of copper or its equivalent, whereasthe finger and bracket are of cast iron, gray or malleable, and this endmember 18 is slightly oblong and tapering to provide two rounded fiatfaces 19 at opposite sides thereof. Member 18 is also screwengaged withthe round screw threaded stem 20 of the finger so that it may be"rotated and removed longitudinally on the finger into different contactpositions relatively to segment 5, and a radial adjustment may also bemade'by rotating member 18 in slight degree so that either fiat face 19may be placed absolutely parallel with the trans verse straight face ofsegment 5 and a wide area of contact obtained. A lock nut 21 is used tofix the member in adjusted position,

and when one side face 19 becomes worn the contact member maybe reversedand the other face 19 adjusted to the segment and utilized. This memberis also removable and reversible and may be readily replaced when wornout, and at a relatively low cost, while the remaining parts may be usedindefinitely.

What I claim is:

1. A contact finger for electric apparatus, having a screw-threaded stemand a renewable contact member in screw-engag ment therewith, and meansto lock said member against independent rotation as thus screwengaged. w

2. A pivoted contact finger for electrical apparatus, having a spring toplace it under tension, a renewable contact member in screw connectionwith said finger and rotatable and movable longitudinally in respectthereto, and a lock nut to fix said member rigidly in adjusted position.

3. In a device of the kind described, a bracket, a finger pivotallymounted upon said bracket, a helical spring to control Said finger,sleeved bearing parts for said bracket and finger inclosing said spring,screw means uniting said parts separably together, and

a reversible contact member rotatably affixed at the free end of saidfinger.

4t. Ina device of the kind described, a finger having a recessed end anda renewable contact member at its opposite end, a bracket having a roundbearing sleeved within said recessed end, a bolt securing said partstogether, and a colled spring encircling said bolt and engaged at itsopposite with said bracket and finger, a set screw carried by saidfinger providing an adjustable stop, a renewable contact member havingdouble contact faces, and means to secure said member in reversedpositions upon said finger.

Signed at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, this9th day of February, 1918.

CHRISTIAN ,RASMUSSEN.

